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The General Assembly debates dozens of bills each legislative session, but most fall under several broad categories: education, health and public safety, infrastructure and economic development.
Those last two were the chief focus of the Kentucky House’s work last week, as my colleagues and I approved legislation that would make it easier for government and the private sector to work together and that would take an in-depth look at the state’s workforce development programs.

Dear Readers,
On February 3, 2016 our board of education approved Mark Ryles to serve as our Local Planning Committee (LPC) facilitator. As we move forward from this point I wish to make it clear as to who makes up the committee and how they are selected. This is taken directly from the Kentucky School Facilities Planning Manual (702 KAR 4:180).
Section 101
Local Planning Committee Selection
101.2 The LPC shall be made up of a maximum of twenty (20) members and/or a minimum of ten (10) members to include:

The fifth week of the 2016 Legislative Session in Frankfort was historic in a number of ways. Governor Matt Bevin signed his first piece of legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 4. We also said goodbye to former State Senator and civil rights activist, Georgia Davis Powers.

Just as it is often said that games are won or lost during practice, a similar principle applies as well to legislation. Before a bill can clear the House or Senate, it has to make it through a committee first.
That groundwork is especially crucial when it comes to the budget, which Gov. Bevin proposed late last month and the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee began reviewing in-depth last week. The chamber is on track to complete this work and vote by the early days of March.

When someone says, “I have good news and bad news,” which one do you prefer to hear first?
Joe went to his doctor who posed that question to him.
“Give me the good news first,” Joe said.
“You have 24 hours to live,” the doctor told him.
Clutching his chest, Joe said, “If that’s the good news, what’s the bad news?”
The doctor said, “I meant to tell you yesterday.”
Ba dump bump. (Groan.)

The biggest responsibility the governor and the General Assembly have during legislative sessions in even-numbered years is enacting a budget to run state government. It sets our priorities in a way no other law can.
The budget process actually began months ago, when agencies compiled their projected needs while the state’s economists, known as the Consensus Forecasting Group, determined exactly how much the state could appropriate.

Week four of the Kentucky General Assembly marked a momentous occasion for our state. Governor Matt Bevin gave his first State of the Commonwealth Budget Address, laying out a plan that will guide Kentucky out of the financial mire that has lingered for the past eight years.